10 Things to Consider When Buying a Lake House

When we bought our lake house, there were so many things we didn’t know to think about. We got lucky and our property turned out to be just what we wanted. I thought I’d share the top 10 things to consider when buying a lake house. 

Our lake house was originally purchased as a vacation home. It’s located in The Northwoods of Wisconsin. You can read more about our journey to find our home here. Two years after buying it, we decided to make it our full time home.

Frontage

One of the things to consider, is how much frontage along the lakeshore you want to have. How many feet would give you the view you desire? Is the path to the lake level or steep. If it is steep, are there a lot of stairs to climb up and down to get to the water?

Usage

What will you be using the lake for? What are your hobbies? Do you like to fish? Sail? Kayak? Wakesurf? Are there motor restrictions? You will want to consider how busy the lake is and if you want to be where its quieter or where there is lots of activity. Do you want to have restaurants on your lake where you can boat to dinner?

Lake Size

You will want to consider if the lake is large enough, deep enough or wide enough to do the activities you love. Would you like to be on a chain of lakes?

Invasive Species

Be sure to find out what invasive species live in your lake. This may affect the fish populations, the amount of weeds and swimming. Some lakes near us in Minocqua have Eurasian Milfoil. Those lakes spend extra money in their lake associations to cut the Milfoil and combat it. Some lakes have swimmer’s itch. It doesn’t keep us from swimming, but if we are going to be in the shallower waters we put a layer of vaseline or baby oil on our legs. Swimmer’s itch can give you itchy bumps for a short time.

Depth off Shore

Be sure to find out how deep your water is off  the shore. Will you need to have a shore station for your boat? Do you want to have a swim platform where you can dive into the water? Do you want shallow water for wading? Is the property on a sandbar where it is very shallow? Are there rocks off the shore? Is the water shallow for a long ways where you will need to have an extremely long pier? 

Shoreline

Is the shoreline along the property sand, manicured or natural. Some of that will depend on DNR laws and at what time period they developed the property. Do you want a sandy beach? 

Maintenance Costs

There are extra costs that come along with having a lake house. Whether you do the work yourself or sublet it, it is something to plan ahead for. Will you need a dock and a lift? Will it need to be removed for the winter and who will be doing that chore? Our dock comes in in May and goes out in October. We all help put in and take out the dock, but the shore station we have put in by a dock company. All the pieces get stored on the shoreline during the winter. Something to consider is how steep and how much space there is on the lot to lay the pieces on when not in use. Some pieces may need to be hauled away seasonally and stored somewhere else. How much maintenance will the landscaping need? And don’t forget snowplowing if you live like we do in the Northwoods where our driveway needs to be plowed after each significant snowfall. If your lake house is closed up for winter you may not need to plow all winter.

Lot Size

What hobbies do you have and how do you like to entertain? These things can make an impact on what size lot would be best for you. Would you like room to have a garden? A horseshoe pit or space for kids to run around? Maybe you don’t want a large lot and have a lot of maintenance. 

Proximity of Neighbors

How much space is there between homes? Do you feel like the neighbor could jump from their porch to yours or is there land or landscaping between the two properties that give it some space and privacy?

Rentals or Home Owners

Are the other homes next door and nearby only used by the property owners or are they rentals? Sometimes property owners can be more noisy than weekly renters, so don’t assume that rental properties nearby is a bad thing. It’s just something to find out about. We have a resort on our bay and at times it can be loud during the summer, but it is always happy sounds that do not bother me. I enjoy falling to sleep with windows open and hearing the sounds of laughing visitors around the resorts’ campfire. 

Storage

How much storage will you need for your boats, gear and toys? Is there a boat house on the property that can store your boat or just your fishing poles and lifejackets? Or like in our case, we only have a small storage shed by the water. Building a boat house is on our future project list. Is it important for you to have one on your property right away?

View

Consider your view when choosing a lake house. Which direction will your home face looking out over the water? Will you get views of the sunrise or the sunset? Is the shoreline across the lake undeveloped or full of other homes?

Decide what matters to you to help make the best decision. I’ve included a printable for you to take along on your property visits to help remember what to look for. Happy Lake House hunting!

Print a Copy Here

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